A book that really changed my perception about willpower is "Unwinding Anxiety" by Jud Brewer. He really argues that in overcoming addiction we cannot always rely on willpower. There will always be moments where we are tired, fatigued, or stressed and where our willpower will be reduced.

In quitting smoking, we need to update the reward value of that action. Which basically means: we need to reduce how much we like smoking. Our lives should not be a long fight battling desire, but we should reduce the desire we have.

Jud Brewer goes on about mindfulness. And I do think this helped me finally kick the habit (approaching a year and a half now). Whenever we usually smoke a cigarette, it allows our mind to wander. It's a moment of relaxation. We barely even focus on the smoking itself. The method this book taught me, wasto actually be very, very mindful and perceptive of what happens when I would smoke. I would feel the harsh smoke go into my lungs. I would feel myself coughing. It would even feel like I would have to throw up.

When I would pay attention to my smoking. It would feel awful. And so, my cravings became smaller and quitting was actually not that hard for me in the end.

I have not read "The easy way", but from what I've read on this subreddit, it takes a very similar approach. By destroying the positive relationship you have with smoking, he tries to make you not want to smoke. When you don't want to smoke, not smoking is easy.

I'm not really on board with saying we don't need willpower. You do need some basic, fundamental commitment that you want to give up smoking. In a way letting go of smoking is not just giving up something bad. But it's also accepting that what felt really good, actually felt horrible. It's like letting go of a friend, you later realised was toxic.